BIKER NEWS: Biker lifestyle far from outlaw stereotype

BN- The reason Mike Youngblood loves motorcycles is simple.

“It’s the wind in your face and the freedom,” he said. “It’s relaxing. Like staring at the coast with the wind in your face. It’s just enjoyable.”

Youngblood comes to Street Vibrations every year from Clear Lake, Calif. He said he’s been drawn to motorcycles since he was a kid.

Bikers at the rally Thursday said they felt the same attraction to the hobby as Youngblood, including Tracey Long of San Francisco who said it was hard to put into words.

“You can’t explain to anybody why you love to ride unless you’ve been in the saddle,” she said. “It’s just something that comes natural.”

But with that love comes some stereotypes that permeate into the public, Wayne Adolfo of Fairfield said.

“Everybody’s got that perception of tattoos and bikers and they drink and they’re rowdy,” he said. “Well yeah we are, but we’re also cool to hang out with and have fun with too.”

The outlaw bikers – also known as the “one percenters” in reference to the supposed one percent of bikers who join a gang – are the reason for the negative image of anyone associated with motorcycles, Adolfo said.

The Reno area is no stranger to incidents involving motorcycle gangs. Members of the Hells Angels, the most widely known outlaw motorcycle club, and the Vagos were involved in a 2011 shootout at the Nugget Resort in Sparks that left the president of the San Jose Hells Angels chapter dead and two Vagos injured. The incident spawned “No Outlaw Colors” rules at several of the casinos in the area.

Willie Long, Tracey’s husband, said even with incidents like the Nugget shooting, the public is starting to see bikers as more commonplace, especially for their charity work charity work they do.

“Not everyone is good and honest, but neither is everybody in anything else,” he said. “Look what Volkswagen just did (altering emissions tests), and they’re CEOs,” he said. “There’s not necessarily good people in everything, but everybody else shouldn’t be smothered because of what a couple people are doing. It’s like anything else.”

Curt Putnam of West Sacramento, Calif. said he thinks the public is softening its view of bikers as well.

“In the last ten years, there’s a lot more doctors and attorneys and professional people riding motorcycles now,” he said. “They do an awful lot for charity and I think they’ve improved their image.”

Mr. Long said it’s important to remember riding motorcycles is no different than any other hobby. However, it’s a hobby with such devoted followers it can lead to huge life decisions, such as Putnam who moved from Colorado to California so he could ride more or Gary Bicknell who uses his motorcycle to preach the gospel.

Bicknell is a member of the Christian Motorcyclists Association, a worldwide group who attends rallies like Street Vibrations or Sturgis in South Dakota to spread the word of God.

“They just started off going to different rallies figuring the bikers needed a little Christ in their life,” he said. “Now they’re in most all countries throughout the world and they just try to preach to people in need.”

Ultimately, Mr. Long said biker culture can be boiled down to one thing: camaraderie.

“Anywhere I go inside the United States, I’ve got friends,” he said. “It’s not about my colors or the patch I wear. Everywhere I’ve got friends.”

Street Vibrations continues Friday beginning at 10 a.m. on Virginia Street.

Schedule:

Friday

10 a.m. – Vendors open

10 a.m.-12 a.m. – Tattoo expo at Reno Ballroom

10 a.m.-9 p.m. – Custom bike builders expo at Reno Ballroom

10 a.m.-2 p.m. – Poker run

11 a.m.-1 p.m. – Scavenger hunt

11:45 – Slow bike races

12-4 p.m. – Rebel Soul, Harrah’s Plaza

12-4 p.m. – Buddy Emmer Band, Jagermeister Stage (between Third Street and Commercial Row on train trench)

12-4 p.m. – Tazer, Circus Circus Stage

12-4 p.m. – Nevada Hazzurd, Silver Legacy Stage

12-4 p.m. – Lucky Tongue, Cal Neva Stage

12:45-1 p.m. – International Bikini Team, Circus Circus Stage

3:45 p.m. – Slow bike races

5-9 p.m. – Blues Monsters, Jagermeister Stage

5-9 p.m. – Blu, Circus Circus Stage

5-9 p.m. – Alias Smith, Silver Legacy Stage

5-9 p.m. – Boogie Daddies, Cal Neva Stage

5:30 p.m. – International Bikini Team, Harrah’s Plaza

5:45 p.m. – Ceremonial flag raising by Spanish Springs High School Jr. ROTC Color Guard

6:30 p.m. – International Bikini Team, Brew Brothers in El Dorado

7-9 p.m. – Caravanserai, Harrah’s Plaza

Saturday:

10 a.m. – Vendors open

10 a.m.-12 a.m. – Tattoo expo at Reno Ballroom

10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. - Boogie Daddies, Chester's Reno Harley-Davidson

11:45 – Slow bike races

12-4 p.m. – Rebel Soul, Harrah’s Plaza

12-4 p.m. – Audioboxx, Jagermeister Stage (between Third Street and Commercial Row on train trench)

12-4 p.m. – Jason King, Circus Circus Stage

12-4 p.m. – Mo'z Motley Blues, Silver Legacy Stage

12-4 p.m. – Rick Hammond, Cal Neva Stage

12:45-1 p.m. – International Bikini Team, Chester's Reno Harley-Davidson

3:45 p.m. – Slow bike races

4:30 p.m. – International Bikini Team competition finals and crowning of Miss Street Vibrations, Jagermeister Stage

5-9 p.m. – Fryed Brothers, Jagermeister Stage

5-9 p.m. – Jason King, Circus Circus Stage

5-9 p.m. – Blues Monsters, Silver Legacy Stage

5-9 p.m. – Lucky Tongue, Cal Neva Stage

5:30 p.m. – International Bikini Team, Harrah’s Plaza

5:45 p.m. – Ceremonial flag raising by Spanish Springs High School Jr. ROTC Color Guard

6:30 p.m. – International Bikini Team, Brew Brothers in El Dorado

7-9 p.m. – Skynnyn Lynnyrd, Harrah’s Plaza

9 p.m. – Fireworks from the roof of the Silver Legacy Hotel

More: http://www.rgj.com/story/news/2015/09/24/riders-biker-lifestyle-far-outlaw-stereotype/72764434/